The Sui Dynasty 589 618 CE Regional kingdoms

The Sui Dynasty (589 -618 CE) • Regional kingdoms succeed collapse of Han dynasty • Yang Jian consolidates control of all of China, initiates Sui Dynasty • Massive building projects – Military labor – Conscripted labor

The Grand Canal • Intended to promote trade between north and south China – Most Chinese rivers flow west-east • Linked network of earlier canals – 1240 miles – Roads on either bank • Succeeded only by railroad traffic in 20 th century • Longest canal or artificial river in the world today!

The Tang Dynasty (618 -907 CE) • Wide discontent over conscripted labor in Sui dynasty • Military failures in Korea prompt rebellion • Emperor assassinated in 618 – Tang Dynasty initiated

The Sui and Tang dynasties, 589 -907 CE .

Tang Taizong • Second emperor of Tang dynasty (r. 627 -649 CE) • Murdered two brothers, thrust father aside to take throne • Strong ruler – Built capital at Chang’an – Law and order – Taxes, prices low – More effective implementation of earlier Sui policies

Major Achievements of Tang Dynasty • Transportation and communications – Extensive postal, courier services • Became the golden age of literature in China. • Equal-field System – 20% of land hereditary ownership – 80% redistributed according to formula • Family size, land fertility – Worked well until 8 th century • Corruption, loss of land to Buddhist monasteries, aristocratic land accumulation

Bureaucracy of Merit • Imperial civil service examinations – Confucian educational curriculum • Some bribery, nepotism • But most advance through merit – Built loyalty to the dynasty – System remains strong until early 20 th century

Tang Military Expansion and Foreign Relations • Manchuria, Korea, Vietnam, Tibet • One of the largest expansions of China in its history • Established tributary relationships – Gifts • China as “Middle Kingdom” – The kowtow ritual

Tang Decline • Governmental neglect: Emperor obsessed with music, favorite concubine • 775 rebellion under An Lushan, former military commander • Captures Chang’an, but rebellion crushed by 763 • Nomadic Turkish Uighur (WEE-goor) mercenaries invited to suppress rebellion, sacked Chang’an and Luoyang as payment • Tang decline continues, rebellions in 9 th century, last emperor abdicates 907

The Song Dynasty, 960 -1279 C. E.

Song Dynasty (960 -1279 CE) • Emphasis on administration, industry, education, the arts • Military not emphasized • Direction of first emperor, Song Taizu (r. 960 -976 CE) – Former military leader – Made emperor by troops – Instituted policy of imperial favor for civil servants, expanded meritocracy

Song Weaknesses • Size of bureaucracy heavy drain on economy – Two peasant rebellions in 12 th c. – Internal inertia prevents reform of bureaucracy • Civil service leadership of military – Lacked military training – Unable to contain nomadic attacks – Jurchen (a Tungusic people (Siberian) who inhabited the region of Manchuria) conquer, founding the Jin Empire, forcing Song dynasty to Hangzhou, southern China (Southern Song)

The Song Dynasty, 960 -1279 C. E.

Agricultural Economies of the Tang and Song Dynasties • Developed Vietnamese fast-ripening rice, 2 crops per year • Technology: iron plows, use of draft animals (North - Oxen, South – Water Buffaloes) • Soil fertilization, improved irrigation – Water wheels, canals • Terrace farming

Population Growth • Result of increased agricultural production • Effective food distribution system – Transportation networks built under Tang and Song dynasties

Strict Social Hierarchy Gentry: Gentry Wealthy landowners, focused on Confucian ideals, focus on civil service Peasants: Majority population who were predominantly farmers living in small villages Merchants: Could acquire wealth but always held low social status due to their wealth coming from the work of others. Could own land educate sons to enter the Gentry

Urbanization • Chang’an (currently Xi'an) world’s most populous city: 2 million residents – Southern Song capital Hangzhou: over 1 million

Patriarchal Social Structures • Increased emphasis on ancestor worship – Elaborate grave rituals – Extended family gatherings in honor of deceased ancestors • Footbinding gains popularity – Increased control by male family members

Footbinding

A typical junk ship from Technology and Industry the Song Dynasty • Porcelain (“Chinaware”) • Increase of iron production due to use of coke, not coal, in furnaces – Agricultural tools, weaponry • Gunpowder invented • Earlier printing techniques refined – Moveable type by mid-11 th century – Yet complex Chinese ideographs make wood block technique easier • Naval technology – compass

Emergence of a Market Economy • Letters of credit developed to deal with copper coin shortages – Promissory notes, checks also used • Development of independently produced paper money – Not as stable, riots when not honored • Government claims monopoly on money production in 11 th century

China and the Hemispheric Economy • Increasingly cosmopolitan nature of Chinese cities • Chinese silk opens up trade routes, but increases local demands for imported luxury goods

Cultural Change in Tang and Song China • Declining confidence in Confucianism after collapse of Han dynasty • Increasing popularity of Buddhism • Christianity, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, Islam also appear • Clientele primarily foreign merchant class

Dunhuang • Mahayana Buddhism especially popular at Dunhuang in western China (Gansu province), 600 -1000 CE – Cave temples • Buddhist temples, libraries • Economic success as converts donate land holdings • Increase popularity through donations of agricultural produce to the poor

Conflicts with Chinese Culture • Buddhism: – Text-based (Buddhist teachings) • Emphasis on Metaphysics • Ascetic ideal – Celibacy – Isolation • Confucianism: – Text-based (Confucian teachings) – Daoism not textbased • Emphasis on ethics, politics • Family-centered – Procreation – Filial piety

Chan (Zen) Buddhism • Buddhists adapt ideology to Chinese climate – Dharma translated as dao – Nirvana translated as wuwei • Accommodated family lifestyle – “one son in monastery for ten generations of salvation” • Limited emphasis on textual study, meditation instead

Persecution of Buddhists • Daoist/Confucian persecution supported in late Tang dynasty • 840 s begins systematic closure of Buddhist temples, expulsions – Zoroastrians, Christians, Manicheans as well • Economic motive: seizure of large monastic landholdings • Limits growth but does not eradicate faiths

Neo-Confucianism • Song dynasty refrains from persecuting Buddhists, but favors Confucians • Neo-Confucians influenced by Buddhist thought – Syncretic blend of both faiths

China and Korea • Silla Dynasty: Tang armies withdraw, Korea recognizes Tang as emperor • Technically a vassal statue, but highly independent • Chinese influence on Korean culture pervasive

China and Vietnam • Vietnamese adaptation to Chinese culture, technology • But ongoing resentment at political domination • Assert independence when Tang dynasty falls in 10 th century

China and Early Japan • Chinese armies never invade Japan • Yet Chinese culture pervasive • Imitation of Tang administration – Establishment of new capital at Nara, hence “Nara Japan” (710 -794 CE) • Adoption of Confucian, Buddhist teachings • Yet retention of Shinto religion

Japan and the United States

Island s Hokkaido Honshu Shikuku Kyushu Okinawa

Cities Sapporo Kyoto Kobe Hiroshima Nagasaki Tokyo Yokohama Nagoya Osaka

Mt. Fuji

Global Tectonic Plates Japan -- On the “Fire Rim of the Pacific”

Japanese Earthquakes: 19611994

Rice Farmer’s Farmhouse: Okutsu Town, Okayama Prefecture

Terrace Rice Farming

Yamato Period: 300 -710 Began promoting the adoption of Chinese culture: a a a Confucianism. Language (kanji characters). Buddhist sects. Chinese art & architecture. Government structure. “Great Kings” era

Heian Japan (794 -1185 CE) • Japanese emperor moves court to Heian (Kyoto) • Yet emperor figurehead, real power in hands of Fujiwara clan – Pattern in Japanese history: weak emperor, power behind the throne – Helps explain longevity of the institution

Heian Period: Cultural Borrowing 1. Chinese writing. 2. Chinese artistic styles. 3. Zen Buddhism 4. BUT, not the Chinese civil service system!

Japanese Literature • Influence of Chinese kanji characters – Classic curriculum dominated by Chinese • The Tale of Genji – One of rare Japanese language works of fiction written by a woman.

Institution of the Shogun • Civil war between Taira and Minamoto clans in 12 th century • Minamoto leader named shogun, 1185 CE • Ruled from Kamakura, allowed imperial throne to continue in Kyoto

Medieval Japan • Kamakura (1185 -1333 CE) and Muromachi (1336 -1573 CE) periods • Decentralized power in hands of warlords • Military authority in hands of samurai • Professional warriors

The emperor reigned, but did not always rule! Feudal Society

Feudalism A political, economic, and social system based on loyalty, the holding of land, and military service. Japan: Shogun Land Daimyo Land Protection Samurai Peasant Loyalty Daimyo Samurai Peasant Loyalty Samurai Peasant Food Peasant

Code of Bushido * Fidelity * Politeness * Virility * Simplicity

Seppuku: Ritual Suicide It is honorable to die in this way. Kaishaku – his “seconds”

Full Samurai Attire

Samurai Sword

Medieval Warriors vs. European Knight Samurai Warrior

Medieval Warriors vs. Knight’s Armor Samurai Armor

Zen Buddhism a A Japanese variation of the Mahayana form of Buddhism, which came from India through China. a It reinforced the Bushido values of mental and selfdiscipline.

Osaka Castle

Caernorfon Castle, Wales

Ancestor Worship Polytheism Hype Natio rnalism Shinto Great r Creato The W of th orld e kam i Minimize sin & guilt

Torii Gate, Miyajima Island

Torii Gate in Winter

A Tunnel of Torii Gates Inari Mt. , Kyoto

Kabuki Theater An interior of a Kabuki theater.

Chanoyu : Tea Ceremony

Origami : The Art of Japanese Paper Folding

Calligraphy

Haiku : 17 -syllable poem Spring departs. Birds cry Fishes' eyes are filled with tears. Matsuo Basho, Master of Haiku

Japanese Garden for Meditation

Japanese Zen Garden

Japanese Sand Garden